Perspective Note

Fostering international and trans-boundary cooperation in the management of Lake Chad fisheries, wildlife and flora: the role of a trans-boundary Ramsar conservation area

¹ Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria
² Lagos State Ministry of The Environment, Lagos, Nigeria
³ Department of Environmental Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
⁴ Department of Environmental Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, IL 62026, USA
⁵ Aquatic Conservation and Ecological Restoration Network (ACERNet), Lagos State, Nigeria
⁶ Centre of Excellence for Sargassum Research, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria
⁷ Balsillie School of International Affairs, 67 Erb St. W, Waterloo, ON N2L 6C2, Canada

^* Corresponding author: emeka.ndimele@lasu.edu.ng; drpendimele@yahoo.com

Received: 27 December 2022
Accepted: 11 March 2024

Abstract

The Lake Chad basin is one of the most politico-ecologically complex regions in Africa. The rapid global climate change caused by decades of unsustainable resource utilization has not only impaired the ecosystem function but has escalated further conflict with the associated terrorism in the region. This paper reviews the notion of environmental peacebuilding through the introduction of trans-boundary conservation as a mechanism to achieve peace and harmony in the Lake Chad region. The proposed trans-boundary conservation area will restore ecosystem services, conserve biodiversity, improve livelihood, and reduce poverty in the Lake Chad basin. The paper provides justification for the establishment of the “Lake Chad trans-boundary Ramsar site” as an example of how a trans-boundary conservation area could act as a catalyst for improved political cooperation using inter-linkage with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements in the region.